Roadsters, Carriages, and Spiders – ah ha!

Who would’ve thought the name of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider originates in the good old-fashioned horse and carriage? That’s humorous, considering that today this sporty vehicle stands for speed on the road. (It’s also funny to compare the name of our beloved sports car to a little black creature with eight legs.) But yes, way back in the nineteenth century, a horse suitable for traveling the road (as opposed to working in the fields) was called a roadster. By the end of the century, “roadster” could also mean a roadworthy bicycle or tricycle. By 1916, however, the Society of Automobile Engineers defined a roadster as an open car that could seat two or three people, with additional seating sometimes made available on running boards or a rear deck.

So where does “Spider” come in? Well, sometimes roadsters were called broughams (based on horse-drawn carriages that had a roof and an open seat up front for the driver), or phaetons (based on Phaeton, the name of a horse in Greek mythology). Wow, that’s going way back. When people began to crave more and more speed on the road, however, manufacturers began to produce the spyder phaeton, a lighter version of the phaeton. Ah ha! We’re almost there. Some investigators believe that the name spyder, which eventually became spider, refers to the new, lighter spyder carriage with its narrower, spindly wheels that resemble the web of a spider. Other writers, however, refer to the Italian pronunciation of the word

Some investigators believe that the name spyder, which eventually became spider, refers to the new, lighter spyder carriage with its narrower, spindly wheels that resemble the web of a spider. Other writers, however, refer to the Italian pronunciation of the word spider, which would be “speeder.” And yes, the Alfa Rome Spider is a speedy little race car that could be called a speeder!

Alfa Romeo of Winter Haven realizes that we might never know the origin of the name for sure. But we do know that we love all Alfistis – those who love the Alfa Romeo brand. If you’ve been dreaming of a new Alfa Romeo cars such as the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, then come to your Alfa Romeo dealership at 190 Avenue K SW in Winter Haven, FL, Monday-Thursday, 9:00 am-7:00 pm or Friday-Saturday 9:00-6:00. We’d love to talk spider.